chalaza

American  

[kuh-lay-zuh] / kəˈleɪ zə /

noun

• chalazas,
  plural
• chalazae
  plural

1. Zoology. one of the two albuminous twisted cords which fasten an egg yolk to the shell membrane.

2. Botany. the point of an ovule or seed where the integuments are united to the nucellus.

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chalaza British  

/ kəˈleɪzə /

noun

1. one of a pair of spiral threads of albumen holding the yolk of a bird's egg in position

2. the basal part of a plant ovule, where the integuments and nucellus are joined

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chalaza Scientific  

/ kə-lā′zə /

• chalazae
  plural

1. One of two spiral bands of tissue in an egg that connect the yolk to the lining membrane at either end of the shell.

2. The region of a plant ovule that is opposite the micropyle, where the integuments and nucellus are joined.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chalazal
  adjective
• chalazian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• chalazae
  plural
• chalazas
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of chalaza

1695–1705; < New Latin < Greek: hail, lump

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chalaza chalazae

Seeds variable in size and shape, usually notched at upper end and characterized always by a bottle-necked, elongated beak; chalaza broad, usually rough, distinct; raphe indistinct.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

Seeds usually three or four, large, short, plump, blunt, notched; chalaza oval, depressed, indistinct; raphe a broad groove.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

Seeds two to four, small, notched, short, plump, with very short beak; chalaza narrowly oval, depressed, indistinct; raphe usually a groove, sometimes distinct.

From Manual of American Grape-Growing by U. P. Hedrick

The adnate portion of the funiculus, which appears as a ridge or cord extending from the hilum to the chalaza, and which distinguishes this kind of ovule, is called the Rhaphe.

From The Elements of Botany For Beginners and For Schools by Asa Gray

Having the ovule inverted at an early period in its development, so that the chalaza is as the apparent apex; Ð opposed to orthotropous.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Noah Webster

A pair of fibrous strands called chalazae anchor the yolk inside the egg, and Geary figured that sundering them would allow the yolk to float to the center.

From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 2012

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